Let it be known throughout the Realms!
The Mage, Strabismus is researching a new spell and requires certain rare items that are scattered around Faerun. He seeks groups of bold adventurers who are prepared to travel the Realms and overcome any obstacles to retrieve them. The first group to return with a complete set will be rewarded with unique magical items.

OoC
This upcomming quest is for parties of up to 4 newly created lvl 1s. Each party should be composed of a unique ethnic group, eg Sun Elves. You are advised to cover a range of skills as acquiring the items will not depend purely on hack and slay. You can chose whether to split up or stay together, exchange information with rival parties or mislead them, hinder them or steal their items.

Servers involved are likely to include:
Berdusk, Earthspurs, Hullak Forest, Loudwater, Phlan, Reaching Woods, Scardale, Secomber & Sword Mountains.

This looks to be an interesting quest. I am looking to either join or create a party, composed of humans, to take on this challenge. I am figuring there will be some cooperative efforts, and some solo efforts, so time frames don't always have to mesh. If anyone is interested in joining me, let me know either here, or PM me.

Relic

Sure I'll join you Relic... Does a Half-Elf count as close enough to Human? If not, I can create a Human Ranger, no problem. Do we have two other takers?

But we need more info... When does this begin? Where is this Strabismus, or at least what is the stuff he's looking for?

[ October 11, 2002, 20:13: Message edited by: Blackthorne TA ]

And is there a starting date announced yet? I'm throwing in as a rogue, so we've got a ranger and a rogue. It would be good to get a group of AORTAns involved in this.

I'll bring my human cleric but I won't be able to play until Monday at the earliest.

This will be in a couple of weeks, as it will take a bit of organising. Give yourselves a name, claim a race and post on the 'Strabismus' thread @ ALFA. Humans are different from Half elves.

OK, I'll post over on ALFA claiming the Human race and call ourselves Blackthorne's Abominables. I hope that's OK with everyone :) Hey Bel or Tal, gonna join us?

Sounds good to me. Looks like we've got some good competition over there as well.

That sounds fun to me...I like playing humans anyway! I have a decent frame of reference (in theory ;) )

Ok, so it looks like our party of 4 humans is thus:
BTA - Ranger
Relic - Rogue
Cpt. Tripps - Cleric
Belisarius - ? (Bel, probably Paladin?)

A paladin or fighter...I'm trying to decide.

Shooting for Sat 26th Oct. for Quest - off!

Is it still on for starting on Saturday, the 26th?

Yup, watch this space for start time. Waiting on 2 more servers to know if they are in or out.

Shall we set a meeting place and time? I know Phlan, Loudwater and Sword Mts. well enough to find the Inns there. I have to work Fri. night so AM PDT is not good for me but any other time Sat. will be fine.

Hmmm... I still see no start time/place or rules for this quest that supposedly starts tomorrow, but I'm up for it. I'm pretty familiar with Phlan; I haven't been to Loudwater or the Sword Mountains.

I'm good from about 1:00 PST onwards. I'll wander around the Goblin in Phlan, unless I hear otherwise.

The Grand cross server Quest involving Earthspurs, Reaching Woods, Vast Swamp, Sword Mountains, Loudwater and Phlan kicks off at 8pm GMT, 12 noon PCT on sat 26th Oct.

This is for level 1s, so roll up new characters. Head over to Phlan and find Strabismus the Mage. He lives at the foot of the Dragonspines, 50 miles north of Phlan City. Register with his scribe and get hunting. Please use legitimate portals, you should not have to drop your visa unless we have a crash. It uses Megaplex's patented quest timer so it shouldn't matter when you start and finish.

In Character:

" So, I see that parties of humans, halflings, gnomes, dwarves and half orcs have answered my challenge. I require 6 items, scattered around the Realms, to complete my spell. To make things a little more interesting clues to their exact location are given in this rhyme:

Of the Phlan Quest, I've this t' tell
seek magic held in a crystal shell.
Hard to find - and that's a fact,
it lies beyond a cataract;
but e'er you face the guardian's wrath
first you must take an early bath.

Here's a lesson that's hard to teach,
far inside a Wood you must Reach.
Not just sap it's the Tree's own blood;
What pumps it round the trunk of wood?

Seek out the Marsh that has no end.
Dawn Lord's short one will be a friend.
The blessed berries point the way
to a flower lit by a crystal ray.

Rushing loud, fast yet not quick
Blended well, blended proud
And close to where the
Singing Pixie drank.

Northwest of the water, not deep
Only a feather in death, but in life would stone
From an old maid, trade for sleep.

They toil in vein - yearning
where sky meets Earth - learning
for a lump in hearth - burning.

You see, I want adventureres who can use their brains as well as their brawn. For your convenience I have opened temporary portals to the Vast Swamp, Earthspurs and Phlan City - although why anyone would want to visit that fish-stinking metropolis is beyond me!. Store the items in the chest here, the first to collect all 6 will earn a reward."

Well Relic, if you mean PDT (we switch to PST tomorrow), then it looks like your timing is perfect. 8pm UTC/GMT is 1pm PDT.

So Erran, what are the rules? One character and if he/she dies that person's out? Or can they roll up a new one?

Are there multiples of the items, or if someone else has found one, we have to take it from them?

[ October 26, 2002, 18:53: Message edited by: Blackthorne TA ]

One char and if they go down you can hope a kindly DM wight ress them. Rolling a new one would involve re joining the team at Strabismus's scribes's room. Haven't tested that!

Should be multiples of each item but beware, some may decide pinching others is easier than questing.

I don't even know what time it is here so I have no chance with US time, we muss with our clocks tonight too.

Had some fun running around the countryside gathering quest items. We only managed to get three so far (I managed to crash The Vast Swamp server at least that many times! :) ). I'm not sure why my character kept crashing The Vast Swamp. I had no problems elsewhere, and I didn't crash it every time either...

Capt Tripps and I got lost looking for the other three quest servers until finally I broke out my FR Campaign Setting and checked the map. Realized the other three servers are west of Arabel. When we finally got there, the Reaching Woods was down, so we called it quits for the day.

It's doubtful we'll win given how much time we wasted though :)

Three down and three to go!

With 3 out of 6 successfully retrieved I declare the Abominables the winners. Your prize is 3 keys to 333 Canvas Street, your own house in Phlan.

Fantastic! Good job to Relic and Capt Tripps, and a big fat raspberry to Bel :p for leaving us hanging! :)

Woohoo, and there were quite a few people looking. 7 teams registered in Phlan, and another 11 on Sword Mountains. It was fun, and took some time figuring out a couple of those clues. Congrats to BTA and Tripps, and we missed you Bel, it was a hoot.

Alright, the Abominables won! Thanks BTA and Relic you guys made it a lot of fun.

Found out why you couldnt reach reaching woods, dm had his port set to 5122!

Hehehe. Whoops! :)

Sorry...I totally missed the entire day! I bought a new car...And, well, I, you know, had to drive it all day!!!

Plus my job has been keeping me pretty late. I will make a strong effort to be at the next gathering!

Sorry again!

Bel